Coreopsis plant named ‘Candy Stripes’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of hybrid  Coreopsis  plant named ‘Candy Stripes’ that is characherized by its compact plant habit reaching an average of 33 cm in height and 45 cm in width, its floriferous and long blooming season of its nearly sterile inflorescences that do not require deadheading; blooming commences in late-June and lasts until frost in Kensington, Conn., its medium sized inflorescences with ray florets that are pink in color with a cherry red eyezone, its resistance to powdery mildew and leafspot and its cold hardiness at least to U.S.D.A. Zone 4.

Botanical classification: Coreopsis hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘Candy Stripes’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofCoreopsis plant, botanically of hybrid origin and known as Coreopsis‘Candy Stripes’ and will be referred to hereinafter by its cultivarname, ‘Candy Stripes’. The new cultivar of Coreopsis is an herbaceousperennial grown for landscape and container use.

The new Invention arose from an ongoing controlled breeding program inNew Braintree, Mass. The objective of the breeding program is to develophybrid cultivars of Coreopsis with unique and superior gardenattributes. In particular, to develop cultivars that are long-lived,sturdy, exhibit a true perennial habit and cold hardy to at leastU.S.D.A. Zone 4 in a wide range of flower colors and plant forms.

The Inventor made a controlled cross in August of 2015 in New Braintree,Mass. between an unnamed and unpatented proprietary plant from hisbreeding program as the female parent (ref. code N2 14-18) and pollenthat was pooled from a variety of unnamed and unpatented proprietaryplants from his breeding program as the male parent. The exactcharacteristics of the pollen parent are therefore unknown. ‘CandyStripes’ was selected in September of 2016 as a single unique plantamongst the resulting seedlings.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by stemcuttings under the direction of the Inventor in Kensington, Conn. inSeptember of 2016. Asexual propagation by stem cuttings has shown thatthe characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and are reproducedtrue to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the characteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes incombination distinguish ‘Candy Stripes’ as a unique cultivar ofCoreopsis.

-   -   1. ‘Candy Stripes’ exhibits a compact plant habit reaching an        average of 33 cm in height and 45 cm in width.    -   2. ‘Candy Stripes’ exhibits a floriferous and long blooming        season of its nearly sterile inflorescences that do not require        deadheading; blooming commences in late-June and lasts until        frost in Kensington, Conn.    -   3. ‘Candy Stripes’ exhibits medium sized inflorescences with ray        florets that are pink in color with a cherry red eyezone.    -   4. ‘Candy Stripes’ exhibits resistance to powdery mildew and        leafspot.    -   5. ‘Candy Stripes’ exhibits cold hardiness at least to U.S.D.A.        Zone 4.

The female parent of ‘Candy Stripes’ differs from ‘Candy Stripes’ inhaving flowers that are solid pink in color and in being very fertilecausing flower production to stop once seed has set. ‘Candy Stripes’ canbe most closely compared to Coreopsis cultivars ‘Starlight’ (U.S. PlantPat. No. 28,005) and ‘Starstruck’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 28,006). Both‘Starlight’ and ‘Starstruck’ are similar to ‘Candy Stripes’ in beingresistant to powdery mildew and leaf spot, in having a compact planthabit, and in having a long bloom season that does not requiredeadheading. ‘Starlight’ differs from ‘Candy Stripes’ in having inhaving inflorescences with creamy white ray florets with a purple eyeand in being hardy to U.S.D.A. Zone 5. ‘Starstruck’ differs from ‘CandyStripes’ in having inflorescences that are larger in size with rayflorets that are white in color with a large purple eye and in beinghardy to U.S.D.A. Zone 5.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR

The Applicant asserts that no publications or advertisements relating tosales, offers for sale, or public distribution occurred more than oneyear prior to the effective filing date of this application. Anyinformation about the claimed plant would have been obtained from adirect or indirect disclosure from the Inventor. The Applicant claims aprior art exemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/orsales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to theeffective filing date. Publications include but are not limited tolistings on websites by Forest Farm, Egan Gardens, Bill Moore & Company,and Skagit Horticulture.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceand distinct characteristics of the new Coreopsis. The photographs weretaken of 3-month-old plants of ‘Candy Stripes’ as grown outdoors in aone-gallon container in Belchertown, Mass.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a view of plants of ‘Candy Stripes’ inbloom.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of the inflorescencesof ‘Candy Stripes’.

The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with thephotographic and printing technology utilized and the color values citedin the detailed botanical description accurately describe the colors ofthe new Coreopsis.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of 3-month-old plants of ‘CandyStripes’ as grown outdoors in one-gallon containers in Belchertown,Mass. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations inenvironmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not beentested under all possible environmental conditions. The colordetermination is in accordance with The 2015 Colour Chart of The RoyalHorticultural Society, London, England, except where general color termsof ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:    -   -   Blooming period.—Blooms from late-June until frost in            Kensington, Conn.        -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial.        -   Plant habit.—Clump-forming, compact, upright leafy flowering            stems with inflorescences held above the foliage.        -   Height and spread.—Reaching an average of 32 cm in height            and 39 cm in width as grown in a one-gallon container, as a            mature plant in the landscape; 33 cm in height, 45 cm in            width.        -   Cold hardiness.—At least to U.S.D.A Zone 4.        -   Diseases and pests.—Observed to be resistant to powdery            mildew (Podosphaera macularis) and leafspot (Pseudomonas            cichorii).        -   Root description.—Fibrous and fine, NN155A in color.        -   Propagation.—Stem cuttings.        -   Time required for root initiation.—An average of 10 days for            root initiation.        -   Growth rate.—Vigorous, but stays compact.-   Stem description:    -   -   Shape.—Rounded to tetragonal, solid.        -   Stem color.—144A.        -   Stem strength.—Strong.        -   Stem size.—Main stems; an average of 8.5 cm in length and 4            mm in width, lateral stems; an average of 9 cm in length            (excluding peduncles) and 4 mm in width.        -   Stem surface.—Slightly glossy, glabrous.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branched, an average of 12 basal            main stems, lateral stems typically branched as oppositely            arranged pairs at each node.        -   Internode length.—An average of 4 cm.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf division.—Simple.        -   Leaf margins.—Entire, bi-fid and trifid.        -   Leaf size.—Entire leaves; an average of 7 cm in length and 4            cm in width, trifid leaves; center lobe an average of 5 cm            in length and 6 mm in width, lateral lobes an average of 2            cm in length and in 2 mm width.        -   Leaf shape.—Linear.        -   Leaf base.—Cuneate.        -   Leaf apex.—Acute.        -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate, inconspicuous, same color as leaf.        -   Leaf attachment.—Sessile.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite.        -   Leaf surface.—Upper and lower surfaces; dull and sparsely to            moderately covered with stiff pubescence, especially along            the margins; up to 1 mm in length, NN155A in color.        -   Leaf color.—Young and mature upper and lower surface; 144A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Inflorescence type.—Composite with a single row of ray            florets surrounding disk florets in the center, forming a            radiant head, inflorescences are borne on branch terminals            in loose corymbs.        -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—8 to 10 days until senescence            of ray flowers, phyllarys and disk flowers are persistent.        -   Fragrance.—Moderately pleasant scent.        -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Free flowering, an average of 4            corymbs per main branch, an average of 3 composites per            corymb.        -   Inflorescence size.—Corymbs; an average of 20 cm in length            and 9 cm in width, composite; an average of 2 cm in depth            and 4 cm in diameter.        -   Inflorescence buds.—Globose in shape, an average of 6 mm in            depth and diameter, smooth and shiny surface; color; a blend            of 148A and NN137A, top 162A.        -   Peduncle.—Rounded in shape, strong, an average of 11 cm in            length and 1.5 mm in diameter, 144A in color, smooth and            glabrous surface.-   Phyllaries (involucral bracts):    -   -   Phyllary number.—1 row of 8.        -   Phyllary arrangement.—Whorled, 5% of base fused, held            horizontal to slightly upwards with the apex and mid-section            recurved downwards.        -   Phyllary size.—An average of 1 cm in length and 4 mm in            width.        -   Phyllary texture.—Glabrous and smooth on both surfaces,            velvety and transluscent.        -   Phyllary color.—Both surfaces 12A, base 144A.        -   Phyllary apex.—Acute.        -   Phyllary base.—Truncate.        -   Phyllary shape.—Broadly lanceolate.-   Ray florets (sterile):    -   -   Number.—8.        -   Shape.—Oblanceolate, with the appearance of 3 to 4            longitudinal sections.        -   Size.—An average of 2 cm in length and 1 cm in width.        -   Apex.—Rounded with rounded lobes.        -   Base.—Cuneate.        -   Margins.—Entire on sides with lobed and notched apex.        -   Aspect.—Held mainly horizontal and slightly upwards,            perpendicular to peduncle.        -   Texture.—Both surfaces; glabrous, dull, and satiny.        -   Color.—Upper surface when opening; base N81A and N77B,            mid-section and tips 4A and 4B, upper surface when fully            open; base and mid-section 61A, surrounded by 61B and 61C,            tips NN155C, lower surface when opening; 5A, lower surface            when fully open; 61A and 61B.-   Disc florets (male and female):    -   -   Number.—An average of 60.        -   Shape.—Tubular, corolla is fused, flared and slightly curled            at apex.        -   Size.—About 5 mm in length and 0.4 mm in width.        -   Color.—En masse; 24A, individual; corolla (tube) base and            mid-section transluscent, 17A and 18D, top below flare 191A,            flared portion 13A.        -   Receptacle.—An average of 6.5 mm in diameter and 5 mm in            depth, N189B in color.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Presence.—Disc florets only.        -   Gynoecium.—1 Pistil; an average of 5 mm in length, style;            very fine and 13A in color, bifid pillose, stigma; 13A in            color with recurved branches about 0.5 mm in length, ovary            is inferior, oblong in shape, an average of 2 mm in length            and 1 mm in width, and 145A in color.        -   Androecium.—4 stamens, fused into tube surrounding style, an            average of 2 mm in length and less than 0.5 mm in width,            200B in color, pollen; moderate in quantity and 13A in            color.        -   Seed.—Seed development has not been observed; presumed to be            sterile.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Coreopsis plant named ‘Candy Stripes’ as herein illustrated and described. 